Sacking of Colonia
Date | 857.M41[2] | |
Location | Colonia[1] | |
Outcome | Imperial victory[1] | |
| ||
Imperium | Orks | Eldar |
| ||
Colonel Radge[1] Tank Commander Maximillian Weisemann[3c] |
Warlord Gharag Badtoof[1] | Unknown |
| ||
Multiple Imperial Guard Regiments[2][3c] (see Order of Battle) |
Horde | At least one Warhost[2] |
| ||
Heavy | Heavy | At least one Autarch killed[2] |
The Sacking of Colonia (also known simply as the Colonia Campaign[3b]) was a military campaign fought by Imperial forces in 857.M41[2] on the planet Colonia.[1]
Contents
Overview
Taking place on Colonia, the campaign saw a number of Imperial Guard Regiments battle ork forces under the Warlord Gharag Badtoof.[1][3c]
Notable Actions
One notable action of the campaign saw the famed Tank Commander Maximillian Weisemann lead a solo charge from his Baneblade, Arethusa, against an ork bridgehead led by Badtoof itself on the Cambria River before they could muster in large enough numbers to threaten nearby Imperial positions. Even after taking the enemy by surprise and inflicting such horrendous casualties that the orks started to flee, Weisemann sought to cut off their retreat and pin the horde in place so that the Imperials could wipe them out. However, Arethusa became bogged down in heavy mud and was rendered helpless. This led to Weisemann and his crew evacuating the tank before it was destroyed by fighta-bommers and fighting a desperate battle against the remaining orks. Weisemann gave the order for the uninjured crewmen to retreat to the Imperial lines and deliver intel to the Armoured Fist Squadrons mustering to aid Arethusa, while the Commander himself and three injured crew held position at the bridge. It took two months for Imperial forces to break through to Arethusa's position; when the Mortant 7th finally reached the site of the battle, they found the wreck of the tank, but no human bodies - what exactly happened to Weisemann and the other crew members remains a mystery to this day.[3c]
Also during the Sacking, a surprise assault by a warhost of Eldar from Craftworld Saim-Hann threatened to annihilate the Mortant 7th. However the Eldar were forced to retreat after a single squad of the Catachan Devils under Gunnery Sergeant Harker ambushed the aliens from concealed positions and killed their Autarch with Heavy Bolter fire.[2]
Aftermath
After defeating the Warboss, it is said the Mortant VII went on a three month rampage and devastated the civilian populace. However, many maintain they were innocent and the damage was done by the Orks.[1]
Imperial Order of Battle
Astra Militarum regiments
- At least one Catachan Jungle Fighters regiment[2]
- Mortant 7th 'Headhunters'[1][2][3a]
- Konig 9th Heavy Tank Company — Attached to the Mortant 7th during the campaign.[3b]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 1st Codex), pg. 10
- 2: Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition), pg. 22
- 3: Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy